Join us for the third and final instalment of the electric three-part Alternative Hen series by Mistress of Mayhem Siobhan Scanlon, founder of The Peacock Bride. In part three Siobhan explores the art of Peacocking with party accessories.

Hencessories

So you’ve picked the date, chosen the location and pestered the hens, the only thing left to do is to choose the hencessories (aka accessories for hens). Now this can open up a can of worms; Do we choose a theme? Do we dress the bride as a 6ft c*ck (it being a hen and all)? Will granny wear a leopard-print tail? In truth these these are just minor blips along the journey. With so much to consider choosing the right accessories need not be a worry if you follow our tips for choosing the right accessories for the big do.

Peacock the Bride: Peacocking means dressing flamboyantly and for attention. Rule number 1: the bride must stand out. Whether that be with a flashing veil, a sequinned hairband or a ‘drama queen’ emblazoned tiara, it must mark her role at the party. The good news is thank to fluffy wands and metallic wings there’s more choice than ever and trust us any bird worth her salt has a pair of these. In short, pimping the bride need never be a chore.

Hens who play together, stay together: An often underestimated factor in the creation of a great ‘night out’ are what we call ‘fun fuellers’. These are anything to unite a group of unknowns in a light hearted way. Our favourites include inflatable instruments, glitter top microphones, photo props, fake tattoos and of course piñatas… There is nothing quite like watching a blindfolded chick aimlessly beat a half bashed unicorn.

Look after your broad: So the big night has been and gone, and has most likely left a thumping sensation behind for the majority of hens. I’ve been to enough hens to know that foreseeing a grim aftermath can often be enough to tame a hen in her tracks which is not what anyone wants. But there is a cure, and they come in the form of 2 x 25ml health shots known as Faust’s Potions. These are pure magic. After a few too many G&Ts take the Asleep Potion before hitting the hay and the Awake Potion when you rise. Overnight they will work their way round your insides delivering all kind of goodness to your vitamin depleted carcass and come morning you’ll have more gusto than Miley Cyrus on speed.

In celebration of the National Wedding Show, Faust’s Potions are giving away 100 vials of their
delicious natural hangover cures, complete with a deluxe gift wrapping set!

Bane + Antidote co-founder Nina Faust created Faust’s Potions out of a realisation that an adventurous spirit depends on physical and mental wellbeing before all else. The apothecary style cult-secret natural remedies that she created combat hangovers, jet lag and fatigue… making them perfect wedding favours for naughty, jet-set, fun loving guests… and unlike the proverbial sugared almond, one that will be very gladly received! In celebration of her stand at The National Wedding Show Nina is giving one lucky couple to chance to win Faust’s Potions wedding favours for all their guests.

Enter on Facebook via the link below, but make sure to share to increase your chances of winning… if you do your name will be counted an additional 5 times for each friend of yours that follows suit! Enlist friends and family to enter for you to increase your odd still further! Good luck…

Faust’s Potions are giving away 100* of their luxury hangover cures with a boutique gift wrapping set. Find out how to enter here.

*for couples with over 100 guests, a 25% discount on additional favours will be available.

Bane + Antidote co-founder Nina Faust created Faust’s Potions out of a realisation that an adventurous spirit depends on physical and mental wellbeing before all else. The apothecary style cult-secret natural remedies that she created combat hangovers, jet lag and fatigue… making them the perfect addition to your weekend, wedding and festival SOS kits. Their triple function make them perfect wedding favours for naughty, fun loving guests, and one that will be gladly received. In celebration of her stand at The National Wedding Show Nina is giving one lucky couple to chance to win Faust’s Potions wedding favours for all their guests.

Enter via the link below, but make sure to share after you do to increase your chances of winning – for every friend of yours that enters after you share the link, your name will be entered an additional 5 times!

In celebration of the National Wedding Show, Faust’s Potions are giving away 100 vials of their
naughty little hangover cures, complete with a deluxe gift wrapping set. 100% natural, these beautifully wrapped cult secrets get everyone talking. The magnitude of guests’ gratitude will become apparent the next morning! Show them how much you care. SHARE ON FACEBOOK TO RECEIVE EXTRA ENTRIES!

Alcohol-free dinner parties needn’t be boring, as proved by these titillating teetotal recipes for mocktails so healthy they’re practically mind-altering.

Dry January, Octsober, pregnancy, recovery, Lent. There are moments in all of our lives when abstention becomes the name of the game. You may have honed your ‘Oh, you brought me 0% beer’ face down to a T, but stoicism is so last century my friend. Who says teetotallers can’t get their kicks too? Below are Bane + Antidote’s favourite craft recipes for mocktails that pack a punch. These exquisite artisanal concoctions, loaded with health benefits, would make for an impressive alcohol free dinner party, or a thoughtful yet self-interested gift for any host.

The Awake Potion contains electrolytes, green tea, guarana, ginseng, B vitamins and vitamin C. It acts as a pick-me-up and an immunity booster and would be the perfect way to greet your guests on arrival.

The Asleep Potion contains honey, 5-HTP and electrolytes. It acts as a sleep aid and a detoxifier. It would be the perfect party favour to send your guests home with at the end of the evening.

Wedding favours have the potential to surprise and delight your guests. Get this important part of your wedding reception right and your guests will leave feeling loved up and tickled pink. Get it wrong and you’ll adding to the ever growing trash pile of worthless tack in the sky.

1. All wedding favours should reflect the couple getting married. What is important to you? Whether it is health, being environmentally friendly or breaking all the rules in the book, don’t abdicate your personality when it comes to choosing your favours. Guests want to feel as if they are in a world of your creation.

2. Wedding favours should be a treat for your guests. While many couples opt for personalised wedding favours commemorating the date of their marriage etc, by the time your guests reach dinner they will have spent an entire day thinking about you. Why not make this bit about them? Something delicious, a fun activity, a conversation starter – whatever you go with, think about your friends and family and what they would like to receive.

3. Ultimately, favours should be consumable, wearable or small enough to fit into a jacket pocket or a full purse.

5. Wearable favours are a sure fire way to ensure nothing gets left behind, and a great way to help your guests look fabulous. Examples: bindis, glow-sticks, or little pots of glitter.

6. While little pots of honey are lovely in principle, they are a clunky thing to have in your back pocket. Their lifespan is also limited. If you choose to give your guests a small memento, something they could use time and time again would be of more worth. Example: handmade handkerchiefs.

As nobody knows weddings like an experienced wedding provider we have asked Katherine Hudson, of the renowned Arabian Tent Company, for her views on choosing the best wedding favours.

Hi Katherine! In your experience, what sort of items have you found to make the best wedding favours?

The days of sugared almonds are long gone, and so are the days of potted jam from great aunty Mable. The best wedding favours are the ones that guests can use straight away when they sit down to dinner – ideally interactive ones to get the conversation flowing with the people they’re sitting with. Those favours that can be consumed, worn or used at that particular moment are always the best.

Are there certain types of wedding favours that tend to get left behind or ignored?

A lot of wedding favours get left behind if they’re not instantly engaging to a guest when they come across them.

Are there certain types of wedding favours that encourage guests to interact with one another?

I’m a fan of fancy dress items – silly sunglasses, moustaches, head-gear etc. They are great for creating interaction amongst the guests.

What is the cleverest wedding favour you have ever come across?

Whilst not hugely clever, probably the best (and most used) favour that I saw at a wedding was a little bottle of Tuaca (the bride and groom drank a lot of it when they first met!) – all the little bottles were empty at the end of the night as they got used for a special toast to the bride and groom.